I had a call about a role at UKHO offering £200 a day and you must operate inside IR35. Apparently the possibility of being there for potentially 2 years is supposed to soften the blow? Hmmmmm, no thanks. 
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I am going to ask a question here - please be gentle with your replies :-)
So as a self employed, employed by a third party, we have a limit of travelling to one location expenses of 2 years. And come April, the IR35 trap slams slut on those in a public organisation, and employers NI has to be paid. The definition of a PSC is a person who controls their own company, and only they can do the work, yes?
So what about MPs? They claim expenses travelling to and from parliament... they are on a fixed term contract (4 years max or before in a general election, with renewal options if they are voted in again), they work for a public body, and they are effectively self employed. They are employed through an intermediator (either the public as a whole, or the electoral commission office).
I would imagine all MPs would fail the HMRC electronic test.
So why are they still allowed to claim expenses after 2 years, and why are they not being caught on IR35 post April?Comment
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Because MPs are a special case and the normal expense rules don't apply to them.Originally posted by jonnyboy View PostComment
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MPs are office holders, but they are salaried through PAYE. IR35 is not applicable. Their expenses are covered by special rules.Originally posted by jonnyboy View Post
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Hmmm - OK. The reason I ask is that I wrote to my MP (Maria Miler - yes she of the dodgy expenses and had to resign from the cabinet) following a modified version of the IPSE letter and she (or one of her staff) sent me a 1 page letter response. A quick google of the text of the letter lead me to this page from another conservative MP... the working is identical, word for word.. seems that this is the standard text that is being used... I imagine either put together by the treasure, HMRC of conservative central office....
https://www.robwilsonmp.com/travel-and-subsistenceLast edited by jonnyboy; 19 October 2016, 22:17.Comment
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That was explained on the IPSE forums fairly recently by one of the policy team. What you do now is write back and politely ask them to answer the question...Originally posted by jonnyboy View PostBlog? What blog...?
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One poster on here has an MP who openly states if they send what looks like a standard campaign letter they won't get a reply at all.Originally posted by jonnyboy View Post
I know from writing to MPs myself over the years if letter is completely personalised you tend to get a personalised reply if the MP is the type to reply, there as even if it is a modified campaign letter you get a standard reply. In this case as my letter was completely personalised I got a personalised reply from my MP and then when he forwarded it onto the Treasury who sent out an edited standard reply. The Treasury reply was edited as people don't like being told their big idea will directly effect their lifestyle as I know some engineering contractors.
MPs don't have to reply at all to constituency letters. Having lived in different constituencies I've had MPs who sent nothing back to an MP who sent me an essay back. The two MPs who sent nothing back were voted out at the next election."You’re just a bad memory who doesn’t know when to go away" JRComment
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If the text linked to is what the OP received, the response relates to last year's T&S consultation and IR35 discussion, not the current public sector one, although the IR35 bit is generic.Originally posted by malvolio View Post
As Mal suggests, assuming that your letter relates to the current public sector consultation, write back and request that they address the specific questions that you raised.Comment
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It is the exact same text as my letter - I am going to reply and will include your comment.Originally posted by mudskipper View PostComment
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Welcome to our world!
You will find that 99% of MPs will do everything to wash their hands of you as fast as humanely possible, and that the Treasury will happily provide all the templates necessary.
Don't waste your time writing, and book a face-to-face meeting / show-up at your MP's surgery. Not as easy to dismiss someone to their face.Comment
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